Set Piece Executes Potent Rally in BWI Turf Cup
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Photo: Jim Duley/Maryland Jockey Club
Set Piece wins the Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup at Pimlico Race Course
Juddmonte's multiple graded stakes-winning homebred Set Piece , returning to the site of his most recent victory, duplicated the effort four months later with a last-to-first victory Sept. 10 in the $200,000 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup (G3T) at Pimlico Race Course.
Ridden by Sheldon Russell for Brad Cox, Set Piece completed a mile in 1:35.70 over the firm course and won by 1 1/2 lengths over Pao Alto , a group stakes winner in France and Qatar. It was a half-length back to 8-5 favorite Public Sector .
"That's kind of his race. He's not super-fast, but he comes running at the end," Cox assistant Katie Tolbert said. "You just have to kind of keep him relaxed and save some ground and find a good spot. He loves it here. He ran great here on Preakness weekend. That's kind of his race, and Sheldon rode him perfect. We're super happy with him."
Set Piece rallied to win the 1 1/16-mile Dinner Party Stakes (G2T) May 21, then finished off the board in the Forbidden Apple Stakes (G3T) and was fourth in the Aug. 13 Arlington Million (G1T) over Churchill Downs' troubled, immature turf course.
Aboard for the first time, Russell was unhurried on Set Piece and trailed the field as grade 3 winner Bizzee Channel , racing first time off the claim for owner/trainer Lacey Gaudet, went the opening quarter-mile in :24.05 and a half in :48.26 pressed by 21-1 shot English Tavern . Russell began to move on Set Piece around the turn and straightened for home with sights set on the lead, with Set Piece rolling through the stretch to pass horses on the far outside.
"On paper there wasn't a whole lot of pace, and I think that was my biggest worry. They went lot faster than I thought they would have," Russell said. "I thought Lacey's horse was the only one that would show some speed. (Set Piece) was nice and relaxed, and I was never really worried because every furlong, he sort of caught up to them.
"At the half-mile pole, I had a double handful, and it was just whether or not I could keep him in the clear. I got him outside, and he took off," he added. "Very, very nice. I think it helped that he won over this course before. I got really lucky and was fortunate to be able to ride him today."
It was the sixth stakes win and third in graded company for Set Piece, a 6-year-old English-bred son of Dansili out of the winning Kingmambo mare Portodora . Second betting choice in a six-horse field, he returned $5.20 while improving his record to 11-2-1 from 23 starts, with earnings of $873,323.
Portodora has produced seven winners from eight foals to race. She dropped a Kingman filly May 8 and has an unraced Nathaniel filly named Carrier Wave. Set Piece is her only graded winner.